If you have been injured at work and have incurred medical expenses, you may be wondering if you are eligible for workers’ compensation. Since most workers have not filed for workers’ compensation, eligibility requirements are a common topic of interest for many injured workers, and you’ll be pleased to find out that it’s pretty easy to qualify for compensation. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at who qualifies for workers’ compensation in Minnesota.
Am I Eligible For Workers’ Compensation
It’s important to remember that workers’ compensation will be determined on a case by case basis, but if you meet the four criteria outlined below, odds are you’ll be able to collect workers’ compensation for your injuries.
You Are An Employee – In order to collect workers’ compensation, you need to be an employee of the business. This may sound like a really low bar to clear, and for many people it is, but for others it’s not so simple. If you’re actually classified as an independent contractor or a volunteer, you likely aren’t covered by workers’ compensation protections. For example, those who drive for Uber or Lyft are classified as independent contractors, so any on-the-job injuries they experience would not be covered by workers’ compensation. Most people are classified as employees, but you’ll want to check your contract if there’s a possibility that you are being contracted. If you think you are being wrongly classified as an independent contractor, a workers’ compensation lawyer can help argue your case in the event of an injury.
Your Employer Carries Workers’ Compensation Insurance – This is one pretty simple and shouldn’t be something you’ll need to worry about because all employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance or become self-insured. If you are injured and your employer is not carrying workers’ compensation insurance, a lawyer can still help you get the compensation you deserve.
You Were Injured During The Course Of Work Duties – The injury needs to occur during the course of your work duties. If you are on the clock and performing something relevant to your job, odds are you’ll be covered. Depending on the situation, you are also likely covered in the parking lot, the break room or even the restroom, so long as you did not intentionally cause your injuries. It is worth noting that your commute to and from your job is typically not compensable under workers’ compensation.
You File Within The Required Deadlines – If you meet all three of the above requirements, then the only other thing you’ll need to do is to make sure that you file your claim within the given time constraints. In Minnesota, you usually have 180 days to file a notice of your injury unless the accident left you incapacitated for a period of time. Regardless, you do not want to put off reporting your injury or filing your claim, as doing so will only send up red flags with the insurance company. Report your injury, connect with a lawyer and get the ball rolling with your claim right away.
This is a very bare bones look at the eligibility requirements for workers’ compensation in Minnesota, and while there will always be exceptions, if you meet the four criteria above and trust your case to the team at Hey Workers, odds are you’ll be able to win a workers’ compensation award. For more information about the claims process, or to talk to a workers’ compensation attorney to see if you have a case, give the team at Hey Workers a call today at (844) 439-9675.
